State lawmaker wants to stop employers from using credit ratings against job applicants

MADISON (WKOW) -- Getting back on your feet after you've lost a job can be very hard, especially if you've fallen behind on bills. Some employers won't hire applicants with a bad credit rating, but one Wisconsin lawmakers says that's not fair.

State Rep. Kim Hixson, a Deomcrat from Whitewater, wants to make it illegal for employers to discriminate against job seekers based on their credit history.

Hixson is proposing legislation that allows employers to obtain credit history through a background check, but it prohibits them from using the information in a discriminatory way.

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce is among the groups that opposes the measure. It says employers have the right to protect themselves from employee fraud.

A state group that fights domestic violence supports the bill, saying some victims lose their good credit because of their spouses' mistakes.